A New Beginning
by Good Scottish Wife
Summary: After more than a year of not being face to face with Kalinda, Alicia spots a very pregnant Kalinda whilst she is on a train on the way to work. Takes place around about 8/9 months after Will's death. I got this idea from an episode I watched of ER with Carol in a similar situation...Thought it would make a great Kalicia story. I dedicate this story to my good friend DrKCooper
1. Chapter 1

A New Beginning

It is a cold and snowy December morning when Kalinda is on her way to work. Her car had been towed away while it had been parked illegally as she was questioning one of Lemond Bishop's guys. She reckoned that Bishop had called the tow truck company on purpose since he didn't like her questioning any of his men. Hence, she was taking the 'L' to work this morning. Kalinda's working at Florrick, Agos and Lockhart now and had been since Diane joined their start-up firm about a month earlier. And yet, she and Alicia keep missing each other at the F/A/L offices. Cary and Kalinda called it quits with each other when Cary found out that Kalinda had been seeing Lana behind his back. Now Kalinda isn't sleeping with anyone for obvious reasons. Cary doesn't even tell Alicia that Kalinda is pregnant. But Diane lets it slip when she tells Alicia that she is bringing Kalinda with her to the firm. Alicia is really surprised, and just concerned whether Kalinda will be able to do her job well enough. She wonders who the father is… Cary? Can't be Cary… surely he would have told her if he was the father. Diane assures her that Kalinda is fine and able to work.

Kalinda is on the train when her water breaks. She swears and mutters something under her breath as she gets off at the next stop.

Alicia catches the 'L' to work that morning since her car is getting serviced. She is looking out the window when she happens to spot Kalinda sitting on the bench as the train stops. Kalinda has a shocked look on her face. Alicia quickly jumps off the train to check if Kalinda is alright as she is holding her stomach like she in pain. She practically runs over to Kalinda.

"Kalinda! Are you ok? Do you need me to call an ambulance?"

"Alicia….hi….um…." Kalinda doesn't know what to say. It's been over a year since she's seen Alicia face to face, this close.

"Are you alright?"

"My water broke."

"How long ago?"

"Um… about 15 minutes," Kalinda is breathing in and out slowly. Alicia can see she's in pain.

"You're already having contractions?"

Kalinda nods.

"How many?"

"Two…"

"How far apart?"

"Seven or eight minutes…"

"Have you called an ambulance?

"No… Northwestern Memorial is just one stop away."

Kalinda is breathing heavier now.

"Why didn't you get on the train?"

Kalinda looks at Alicia and raises a sculpted eyebrow,

"You try walking during labour pain."

"Okaaaayyy…. how far along are you?

"Thirty-eight weeks"

"Can I call someone for you? Who's the father? Cary?" At this, Kalinda rolls her eyes.

"No", Kalinda keeps breathing in and out quickly.

"Then who?"

Kalinda looks at Alicia for a moment and has a very worried expression on her face. Alicia's eyes widen,

"Please don't tell me Peter," Alicia gulps.

Now Kalinda's eyes widen in shock,

"WHAT?! Peter? Alicia, you have got to be kidding! I know you don't think that pregnancy lasts for more than 5 years since that was the one and only time I ever slept with him! God!"

Now Kalinda looks annoyed and perhaps a bit pissed off. But still worried about Alicia's next reaction.

"It's… Will's… " she says, looking down at her stomach, then up again straight at Alicia. Alicia's eyes go wide again.

"Will!? How!? When!?"

"Alicia…. AAARRRGGGHHHHH! I….don't….have time…..for…this…. AARRRRGGGGHHHH!" Kalinda is holding her stomach and having another contraction.

"All right, all right… let me help you onto this train that's coming up."

Alicia helps Kalinda up and supports her as she guides her to the train that has just stopped in front of them. She helps Kalinda in, all the while thinking about Kalinda and Will together. She is really shocked and angry. How could Kalinda do this to her AGAIN! How could Will do this to her!? She looks at the small woman in front of her, holding onto a pole for dear life as another contraction rages through her. An old man asks if Kalinda is alright as he gets up and offers to pull the emergency cord. They both shout at him not to pull it. He steps back defensively and the train eventually reaches the next stop and so Alicia helps Kalinda off the train. Kalinda needs to sit for a bit so they head for the nearest bench where Alicia dispatched the wild looking teenage boys off of it with a wave of her free hand and a furious look in her eyes. They scrammed.

Kalinda is breathing heavily again and looks at Alicia who has a blank stare in her eyes.

"Its not what you think… I mean, with Will."

"Oh? And what do I think?" Alicia says in a cold tone.

"That Will and I were sleeping together? We weren't."

"Ooooohhhh! So he got you pregnant by immaculate conception? That explains it."

"Oh C'mon, Alicia. It was the night before the shooting. We went out for dinner because I was telling him that I wanted to leave and make a fresh start somewhere else. Will persuaded me to stay and we started drinking. We drank a lot and we ended up in a hotel room."

"Please! Don't tell me! I don't need to know the details-"

"He called me Alicia! That's how drunk we were! And you know what? I didn't care! I wanted him to be happy! To have one more chance with you. And if he thought he was with you and he was happy, then I was happy." Tears were springing to Kalinda's eyes now.

"He what?"

"While we were having sex, he called out your name. Several times, actually. And then in the morning, we woke up and he realised-we realised what we had done." .

She looked up at Alicia who had tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry, Alicia. I didn't want to hurt you... again. Seems like that is all I ever do."

Kalinda was crying now, and so was Alicia until another contraction raged through Kalinda again.

"We need to get you to the hospital," Alicia said as she palmed Kalinda's face and actually smiled at her. Kalinda forgot to breathe for a second and then let Alicia help her up. They had to climb down a steep flight of stairs and Kalinda was suddenly feeling faint. She had to sit down again, but Alicia supported her and helped her down. They got about half way down when another contraction came along. This time Kalinda did sit down where she then passed out.

"Crap! Now what?!" Alicia said to herself. The hospital wasn't too far away from here... and Kalinda is much smaller than herself. In fact, she reminds Alicia of Grace at about 12 yrs old. She makes a decision.

Alicia scoops Kalinda up in her arms and carries her the rest of the way down the stairs and to the hospital entrance where there were nurses and doctors on standby waiting for an ambulance to arrive with a car crash victim.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Help! Doctors! This woman needs help!"

Alicia shouted as she collapsed onto her knees in the snow with Kalinda in her arms. She thought she could carry Kalinda's weight, but never factored in Kalinda's pregnancy weight and miscalculated the distance between the train station and the hospital.

The doctors rushed to her side and one of them shouted for a gurney to be fetched.

"She's 38 weeks pregnant!" Alicia shouted panically as the gurney arrived and the doctors lifted Kalinda up and laid her on it. They started pushing Kalinda into the ER entrance and Alicia followed close behind.

"What happened to her?" one of the doctors asked.

"I was helping her down the stairs at the station when another contraction hit her. She… she just passed out. Is it because of the cold?"

"We'll have to run some tests," the doctor said as she saw Alicia's worried expression "Don't worry, ma'am. We'll look after her. What's her name?"

"Kalinda. Kalinda Sharma…" the name left Alicia's lips with a tremble as she noticed the name on the Doctor's badge said "Dr. F. Rogers".

"So she's at 38 weeks?"

"Yes. She said her contractions were about every 7 to 8 minutes apart when I found her. That was about 20 minutes ago. They seem to be shorter now."

"How short?"

"I think about every 3 minutes." Alicia looked terrified Why had Kalinda fainted? "Can I wait with her? She doesn't have anyone else…." It was true. Alicia was all Kalinda had left.

"What about the father?"

"He's…He passed away." Alicia said, close to tears.

"What's your relationship to Ms Sharma?"

"We're w- we're friends." Alicia almost said work colleagues but changed her mind. They probably wouldn't let her stay if she was jus a work colleague. Besides, they were more than just work colleagues even though they had been best friends once upon a time.

Kalinda had come around in time to hear Alicia tell the doctor they were friends. She couldn't believe her ears. Alicia still considered her a friend? Even after everything that has happened between them, including Alicia walking away from LG to start her own firm with Cary and not even telling her. And taking Robyn with them. Alicia didn't even consider asking Kalinda even though Cary had. If it had been Alicia asking her instead of Cary, would she have gone with them? She probably would have. She'd follow Alicia to the ends of the Earth, if only Alicia'd ask her to.

Kalinda's gurney was being wheeled along the hallway towards the ER Room with doctors and nurses awaiting her.

She was deep in thought when she heard her name being called.

"Ms Sharma?" Dr. Rogers called out.

"Kalinda? Kalinda?" she heard heard Alicia call out, snapping Kalinda out of her thoughts.

"Ms Sharma, who's your OB?" the Dr. Rogers asked once she had Kalinda's attention.

"Um…its Dr. Sharon Lowenstein." Kalinda's head felt fuzzy but told Dr. Rogers to just take her up to the labor and delivery, she's fine.

"We are keeping you here in the ER till we run some tests Ms —can I call you Kalinda?" Dr Rogers didn't wait for an answer, "we need to find out why you passed out. What have you eaten so far today ?"

"Um, pumpkin," Kalinda mumbled. Her eyes were half closed and she felt very sleepy but also on edge waiting for the next contraction to hit her.

"Pumpkin?" Dr Rogers asked quizzically. "Kalinda, can you be more specific?"

Kalinda sighed, "Pumpkin and chocolate…muffins." She mumbled again. She had been eating these same muffins every morning since she got pregnant. It was her craving. She didn't even like pumpkin normally. In anything or on its own. She also craved strawberry flavoured Nesquick.

"Ok, and anything else?"

"Ummm, a pumpkin pie".

"And to drink?" Dr Rogers was half expecting her to say a pumpkin flavoured drink of some sorts.

"Strawberry milk." Dr Rogers raised her eyebrows and smiled.

Alicia couldn't help but smirk at this… Kalinda always drank milk so it didn't surprise Alicia that Kalinda just added another element to her milk whilst pregnant. It also, strangely, endeared Kalinda to her knowing she drank Nesquick. It was something Grace also loved.

They got her into a vacant ER room and Dr Rogers was checking her vitals, cervix and blood pressure.

"Look, can you just take me up to labour and delivery? I can feel the baby coming!" Kalinda shouted exasperatingly as she felt the next contraction.

"Aaaarrrgggghhhh! Goddammit! Just take me upstairs!"

"Kalinda, you're pushing. Don't push. Who is your lamaze coach?"

"I….Arrrrggghh! I…don't have one!" Kalinda is squirming now and the pain is like nothing she has ever felt before.

"I can be her lamaze coach," Alicia had said without thinking. She had been a lamaze coach before to one of her friends when she lived in Highland park. Nobody had even noticed that Alicia had been with them all the time, and got into the ER room when she really should have been told to wait outside.

"Have you done this before?" Dr Rogers asked as she looked between Kalinda and Alicia and back to Kalinda to get her approval.

"Yes," Alicia gulped. What had she gotten herself into?

"Kalinda. Are you happy with Ms—"

"Florrick. Alicia Florrick" Alicia said quickly as she could she Kalinda was at the end of her tether and losing patience over all this damn small talk.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever! Just get this baby out of meeeeeeee! Arrrrrgggghh !" Kalinda threw her head back and Alicia went to hold one of her hands. She regretted it instantly as Kalinda's death grip almost cut the blood circulation from her fingers. Alicia just closed her eyes and counted slowly as Kalinda's contraction passed.

Dr. Rogers checks Kalinda's cervix and went quiet for a bit. Alicia and Kalinda notice the look on Dr. Rogers face.

"Doctor, what is it?" Alicia asks for Kalinda.

"You're at 10 centimetres, Kalinda!"

"WHAT?!" Kalinda shouts propping herself up on her elbows as the doctor prepares to deliver her baby. "How can I be at 10 centimetres already!? Please take me upstairs to do this!"

"You've been having contractions all day, haven't you? And unless you want to have your baby in an elevator, you are staying here!"

"Kalinda, I'm right here with you," Alicia tried to calm her down. Kalinda was breathing heavily as she turned to look at Alicia and they locked eyes. Alicia reached her free hand to place it to Kalinda's forehead gently and then brought it down and gently palmed her right cheek with her left hand.

"You are going to be alright, Kalinda. I will be with you every step of the way." Alicia smiled and Kalinda just nodded, unsure of what to say.

"Ok, lets rotate the gurney and give her some privacy!" Dr Rogers says.

"Okay, I wont push, I wont push! Just take me upstairs!"

"Okay, Kalinda. When your next contraction starts, I need you to push."

"You just told me _not_ to push!"

"That was before I checked your cervix and knew you were 10 centimetres."

"AAARRRGGGHHH!"

"Ok, Kalinda. Push now. Come on, you can do it. Push, push push!"

"I'm PUSHNG! AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" Kalinda squeezes her eyes shut as well as Alicia's hand. Another death grip.

"I'm going to count you down, Kalinda. Just keep pushing. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five four —"

"Contraction is subsiding," a nurse shouts out.

"Ok, stop. Stop, Kalinda. We need to wait for you next contraction."

"Almost there, Kalinda." Alicia says reassuringly.

"Doctor? D cells on the baby," a nurse calls out.

"What? Okay, get the OB on call and get a vacuum extraction —"

"A vacuum!?" Kalinda's eyes open wide.

"Kalinda, honey, it is just a precaution. The baby's heart rate is down to 90, but it is okay over 80. Alright?"

"Okay," Kalinda says, exhausted. She really doesn't think she can push again when another contraction hits her. "AAARRRGGGHHH!"

"Okay, Kalinda. I am going to use the vacuum extraction cup. When I tell you, you need to stop pushing."

"AAARRRGGGHHH!"

Dr. Rogers gets the vacuum extraction cup in place.

"Okay, Kalinda, stop. Okay, the heads out. I'm using the vacuum —"

"Is the cord around its neck?" Kalinda asks frantically.

"Not anymore. Alight. Here we go," Dr Rogers says as she pulls out a baby girl. "Say hello to your daughter, Kalinda."

"It's a girl?" Kalinda says, crying and smiling at the same time as Dr. Rogers places a perfect little baby on Kalinda's chest.

"Hi, baby girl'" Kalinda says, crying. She kisses the top of her daughter's head and holds her as the umbilical cord is cut.

"Oh, Kalinda! She's beautiful!" Alicia says, crying and placing a hand on Kalinda's shoulder.

"She's so small! Is she okay?" Kalinda asks.

"She's around 6 pounds." a nurse calls out.

"That is fine." Dr Rogers says, smiling.

"We need to to take her now, Kalinda —"

"Oh. But she's healthy, right?"

"She's perfect."

"Have you got a name for her?" one of the nurses ask.

"Oh, um." Kalinda looks at Alicia and their eyes lock. She has an idea, but is worried about what Alicia's reaction might be to it. Not that she should care what Alicia thinks anymore. But she does care. She more than cares. Before she can say anything, though, Alicia makes a suggestion.

"What about Leela?"

Kalinda's eyes open wide.

"How did you know?"

Alicia just smiles at Kalinda and shrugs. "I just did."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Alicia had left Kalinda in the capable hands of the nurses as she headed back for a meeting at Florrick, Agos and Lockhart. She was already late, but had sent a text to Diane to let her know about Kalinda and that she was on the train and almost at the office.

All through the day, Alicia had been lost in her thoughts. She couldn't concentrate on anything work-wise. Every thought was about Kalinda and Will and their newborn daughter. She wasn't angry. Why should she be? She had broken up with Will a long time ago. She couldn't hold it against either of them. They were both attractive people and Alicia actually was surprised that they hadn't slept together sooner. Kalinda had said they were both drunk and she was absolutely gobsmacked by Kalinda's revelation - Will had shouted out her own name whilst having sex with such a gorgeous woman as Kalinda. Why would he do that unless she was still in his thoughts? Even after everything that had happened? She found herself flinching for Kalinda, too. How must she have felt hearing Alicia's name being called out whilst having sex with Will? Poor Kalinda. She didn't have much luck in the love department. Alicia wondered if it had to do with Nick. Had he ruined Kalinda and turned her into what she had become? Someone who sleeps around for information or just so she doesn't get too close any one person - so that she doesn't get hurt again. Kalinda had hurt Alicia by keeping this secret about her history with Peter. Thinking about it now, Alicia knew why Kalinda had slept with Peter and why she had kept it a secret. She hadn't wanted to hurt Alicia. But Alicia had hurt Kalinda on purpose. This thought made her shudder. How could she do that to anyone, let alone her once best friend? Why had she walked away from Kalinda when they were on the path of being friends again? Alicia couldn't answer that question. Rather, she wouldn't answer it. The truth was just too scary for her to admit. But now all she wanted to do was to go back to the hospital and be by Kalinda's side. To help her and comfort her and just be as close to her as possible. That is if Kalinda would allow her, would forgive her…

After a long day of meetings and depositions, Alicia made a phone call to her kids who were staying with Peter over the weekend, just to check in on them. She then entered the lift and went down to the carpark level. She walked over to her car, her thoughts once more returning to Kalinda. And Leela. What would become of them? How will Kalinda cope with being a mom to a crying baby, changing nappies, and so on. She had never seen Kalinda around children apart from her own and even then she wasn't comfortable with teenagers. Alicia decided to go back to the hospital even though visiting hours were long over. She needed to see Kalinda again. And hopefully get another look at Leela, and maybe even a cuddle - with Leela, not Kalinda. At least not yet. Fuck! Did she really just think that?

Kalinda had been moved to a private room. When she questioned the nurses about it and said that she couldn't afford a private room, she was told not to worry about it. Alicia had spoken to the receptionist on her way out the hospital and told them that the firm was footing the bill. Kalinda was speechless. But not unhappy with the privacy. She felt grateful that Alicia remembered what a private person Kalinda was. And touched that Alicia would do that for her even though she hadn't been at the new firm for that long.

In the privacy of her own room, Kalinda was able to have Leela next to her bed in a cot. She even had a private nurse who showed her how to breast feed Leela. That was what she was doing when Alicia knocked on the door.

"Come in," Kalinda said as she was guiding her nipple into Leela's crying mouth. Leela was silent as soon as she latched on, sucking vehemently. God, the last time Kalinda had her nipples sucked by a girl was ages ago, Kalinda was thinking as Alicia opened the door and came in. FUUUCCCKKK, Kalinda thought as she saw Alicia enter her room.

"Alicia! Hi! W-what are you doing here so late? I thought visiting hours were over…"

Alicia's stomach fell; Kalinda didn't want her there. Her face must have shown her emotions and she was about to say she would leave if that was what Kalinda wanted, but Kalinda suddenly burst into a smile that almost floored Alicia.

"I'm happy you are here, Alicia. I wanted to thank-you for everything you have done for me today, but I have no idea where my phone is so I couldn't call you. And no, I don't know your number off by heart. Otherwise I would have used this phone," she said looking at the landline phone next to her bed.

"Well, I was happy I was there to help." Alicia said with a smile. She moved over to Kalinda's side where she was breastfeeding Leela, but tried not to look too much.

"How's the breast feeding going. Has she been fed often today?"

"This is my second attempt. I had her on a bottle earlier, but she seems to prefer…" Kalinda couldn't say my breast in front of Alicia. It actually made her blush.

So would I, Alicia thought. And blushed. What the hell!?

"Well, that is only natural. And it is good for bonding with Leela," Alicia said smiling. She wanted to tuck a curl of hair behind Kalinda's ear which Kalinda was trying to blow it out of her face. She thought better of it.

"Yeah, that is what the nurse told me earlier. Oh, um, thanks for arranging this private room for me. I… I really appreciate it, Alicia." Kalinda was looking at Alicia and could feel a blush heating her cheeks.

"Hey, I know how much you need your privacy. And you are an important part of the firm. We need you well looked after."

"But I have only been there about a month."

"So?"

"So? Won't the other partners be annoyed? What about Cary?"

"What about him? Look, I am one of the partners, and I want you to have this room. So just stop worrying about what anyone else thinks, Kalinda. Just relax and take care of yourself and Leela."

Kalinda was biting her lip and then looked back down at Leela who was still sucking quite hard on Kalinda's nipple. She stared at Leela for a while before looking back up at Alicia.

"God, what kind of mom am I going to be? I never thought this would ever happen to me, Alicia. I don't know what to do with her."

"What do you mean? You aren't going to give her up for adoption, are you?" Alicia sounded worried.

"Of course not. That isn't what I meant. I just don't know… how to look after her. I just wish Will…" Kalinda was looking at Alicia but then looked away with tears in her eyes.

Alicia couldn't help herself. She moved forward to sit on the bed beside Kalinda and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She used her other hand to turn Kalinda's face toward her and wiped some tears away from her cheeks with her thumb.

"I will be here to help you, Kalinda. With whatever you need. You will never be without help. Will… " here Alicia stopped, trying to stop her own tears from forming and her voice from catching in her throat, "Will… would be so proud and so happy to have a gorgeous baby girl! And to have you as her mom."

Kalinda swallowed as her face was inches away from Alicia's. She was looking into Alicia's eyes and Alicia was looking straight back into hers as she palmed Kalinda's cheek gently. Kalinda swallowed visibly again as Alicia's face seemed to be getting closer and then Kalinda closed her eyes as she felt Alicia's lips on her forehead. She opened them when she felt Alicia pull away, but kept her hand on her cheek.

"What was that for?" Kalinda asked, her voice shaky.

"I don't know. I guess.. I guess I just wanted to make u feel better." That was a stupid reason and Alicia knew it. She achingly wanted to be close to Kalinda, but didn't know why.

"Well, I do. Feel better that is. I am really going to need all the help I can get. And getting it from an expert mom would be even better!" Kalinda winked at Alicia which in turn made Alicia's tummy do a summersault.

"Well, " Alicia laughed, "I don't know about being an expert but Grace and Zach aren't too embarrassed to be seen with me so I must be doing something right!"

"They adore you, Alicia! If Leela loves me even half as much as they love you, then I will be very happy!"

Kalinda looked down to find Leela had stopped sucking and had fallen fast asleep. Alicia removed herself from Kalinda's bed and watched as Kalinda lifted Leela up and covered her breast. She then offered Leela up to Alicia.

"Do you want to hold her?"

"Of course!" Alicia took Leela in her arms and cradled her as she sat back down next to Kalinda. She looked down at Leela's face and thought she could see Will's lips. She was absolutely gorgeous. She obviously had Kalinda's caramel-toned complexion. Her eyes were shut so Alicia could see she had such dark, long eyelashes.

"Hello, little Leela. You are so beautiful."

Alicia whispered at the bundle in her arms. She was smiling down at Leela, but could feel Kalinda watching her, staring at her. She looked up and Kalinda looked her in the eyes and smiled that crooked smile of hers that always made Alicia's stomach do another summersault.

"She really is gorgeous, Kalinda. And I am glad you named her Leela."

"You are?"

"Yeah. She will be someone who will remind you of where you came from. You need that."

"I suppose," Kalinda shrugged. "It was also my mom's name."

Kalinda went silent and got lost in her thoughts. Her smile disappeared and she had a vacant look on her face.

"I don't think I have ever heard you mention your mom, Kalinda."

"I… I don't like to talk about her. She died when I was seven. Then it was just me and my dad until I was about fifteen. And then…"

"Oh!, Kalinda, I'm so sorry! Where's your dad now? He…he might like to know he has a grand-daughter?"

"I don't know and I don't care! I wouldn't let him anywhere near Leela!" Kalinda sounded angry."

"Sorry," Alicia looked back down at Leela and remained silent. No wonder Kalinda never spoke about her family.

Kalinda sighed, "Sorry, Alicia, he is not a good man… I just… I will tell you about it someday. Just not now."

"Of course, " Alicia got up from the bed and put Kalinda down into the Moses Basket on the side of the bed. She then looked at her watch. It was already almost nine in the evening.

"Gosh, I think I better go. It's getting late. You need your rest before Leela demands more food!"

"Oh," Kalinda looked disappointed, "sure, if you need to go. I am sure the kids will be waiting for you. Thanks for coming to visit, Alicia."

"Actually, the kids are staying at Peter's this weekend. I can stay a bit longer if you want me to."

Kalinda's face literally lit up.

"That would be nice! But only if you want to."

"I do… but do you mind moving up a bit? I am kinda tired. It has been a long day. Not that I should complain. It has been a breeze compared to your day!"

Kalinda's eyes widened.

"Oh… sure," she said as she moved over to be closer to the Moses Basket on her left.

"Thanks," Alicia said as she removed her high heels, and lay down on her side next to Kalinda.

They were sharing a pillow and she was so close to Kalinda that she couldn't help but smell the perfume on her neck. Kalinda smelt of lavender and spice.

Kalinda was laying on her back, with her hands resting on her chest. She wasn't sure what to do and was afraid she might touch Alicia if she moved. She really wanted to touch Alicia! She could sense Alicia's closeness to her. She then felt Alicia's breath on her neck and she started to visibly shake. Alicia remained silent, but slid her left arm over Kalinda's stomach and rested it there.

"Alicia. W… what are you doing?"

Alicia could hear Kalinda's voice was shaky.

"I'm just resting my arm on you. Is that ok?"

"Sure."

Kalinda gulped and managed to slide her hand over Alicia's arm. She stroked it as she turned her head to look at Alicia, who remained quiet. Alicia looked right back at her and smiled before she closed her eyes and promptly fell sleep.


End file.
